Write a story that includes the line “my lips are sealed.”

Posted in Adults on May 26, 2023

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✍️ 96 stories

“A Man Who Couldn't Talk” by Alma Lita

Submitted to Contest #200

The first day of my biography writing project, I carried a black briefcase bag that matched the color of my blouse. The sound of my poem shoes echoed slightly in the corridor when they touched the floor. Inside the designated room, a young man stood in the corner with his back to the door. His eyes seemed to scrutinize every detail on the large photograph taped to the wall. His focus then shifted as I began to appear in the doorway. He turned his head, and invited me to sit down without speaking. Pointing to the blue chair near me with hi...

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“The Grocer” by Tallowood Ridge

Submitted to Contest #200

George came out of the army with no medals and nothing intact but his convictions. He had been shot in the foot – too slow to scramble into a trench and a machine gun bullet pierced his instep – and kept in a bamboo cage for a month with only rice water slops to eat. Nothing had pierced or starved his beliefs, and some had been made stronger. When I knew him before the war he was a short, olive skinned, wiry man with dark eyes and thick slicked back black hair, suited to coal mines in the country of his forebears. He enlisted at the b...

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“Self Exposed ” by Samantha Wheeler

Submitted to Contest #200

Slivers of light seeped into Ramonas' corneas as she slowly blinked open her eyes. At first, the light felt like a refreshing plunge back into reality but that didn’t last long. A splitting headache cracked into Ramonas' skull as she began to use her eyes for the first time in a while. Her latest cosmetic procedure had been the longest one yet and Ramona had been under anesthesia for over 15 hours. Her eyes adjusting to the sterile white fluorescent lights of the clinics' recovery room, the headache began to subside. From the king-size recov...

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“Painted Secrets” by Bernadette Beauchamp

Submitted to Contest #200

Refracted lighting and bright colors caught Camille's eye as she wandered down the pristine Fashion Street of Carlsbad. Each shop had some sort of hook to get people in the door. Inviting scents or colors to cover up that each store was another high-priced clothing store or make-up store, but this place seemed different. It looked like it was as magical as it appeared. Camille hovered in the door, noticing the artwork as the main attraction, not a hook. "You don't need an appointment for this gallery. You can just come on in and look around,...

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“It's Not True” by Tom Graham

Submitted to Contest #200

“It’s not true,” Mina said. Her expression had remained the same throughout. The excitable manner in which Polly had related the story to her having no effect. “But what if it is?” Polly asked, her tone remaining dead serious. The low voice she spoke in only loud enough for her friend to hear, sitting in the study area of the library as they were. “There’s no way, not Mrs. Baker. And even if it was…” “But if it was true, is true, imagine the scandal!” Polly interrupted, her eyes lighting up with the possibility. “Listen to yourself, ju...

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“Mrs O'Shea” by Liz Johnson

Submitted to Contest #200

The first 5 minutes of every class are always my favourite, for the same reason that, for most teachers, they are like nails on a chalkboard. Chaos. The destructive flow of children storming in opposite directions. The deafening excitement of being free from the torture of education, if only till they reach the next room. It’s a sensory overload. One we don’t have the mental space for when attempting to prepare for the next lesson. While we all wait for the stragglers to finally arrive, that is when the class is completely unrestricted. ...

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“The Pastor's Smashed Computer” by Mitchell Kaye

Submitted to Contest #200

In Evans, Arkansas, just as much out of boredom as religiosity, you go to church. Evans is four thousand people smack in the middle of the Ozarks, the range of mountains that straddles Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, and just the littlest bit of Kansas. If you drive through Evans, not being from there, you’ll get some stares. It’s that kind of small town. The church is the biggest building in Evans, with the next biggest being the Walmart Supercenter. The school, which teaches kindergarten through 12th grade, is a close third. The l...

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“Gossip?” by Chuck Thompson

Submitted to Contest #200

Gossip. What a delicious word, a fulfilling word; perfect for a habit or a goal. For me, it started in second grade. Tom Evans, poor kid, had crossed eyes, buck teeth, and bad breath. I asked Marcie Smith if it was true that he ate mice for breakfast before coming to school. Was that why he had buck teeth like a mouse and why his breath was so nasty? Was it rotting mice flesh? I laughed to watch her point at Tom from across the playground and shock her friends with tales of the nastiness in which Tom partook....

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“Downfall” by Sara Brown

Submitted to Contest #200

“We have to go, he’ll wake up from all this noise.” The unrest in his brother’s voice wasn’t enough to be worrisome. It might not have been noticeable to Cloud and Patches—and that’s what was most important. “Wouldn’t want that now would we?” Cloud’s accent made it almost impossible for him to ever sound sincere. Ash knew his brother flashed Cloud a look. “We say nothing of this in the morning.” “Consider my lips sealed,” Cloud sassed. “I hope they stay that way,” Patches murmured. “I heard that.” “Already breaking your pr...

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“The Block Mayor” by Andrea Corwin

Submitted to Contest #200

Like every warm day, Terrence is finishing this day on his L-shaped porch, sipping whisky from a dented flask. Cars pass by slowly, and he watches young women pushing babies in strollers; he hears the neighbors' arguments and knows which have a regular income and those who are unemployed. Terrence is the self-appointed block mayor, laying judgment on his fellow folk. "Hi, Terrence; how are you this fine sunny day?" Terrence sits up straight, wanting to give a good impression. "I am superb, Miss Myrna, thank you. And yourself?" He...

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“The Faceless” by A Inge

Submitted to Contest #200

“My lips are sealed.” Light faded from the boy’s eyes as he came to terms with what he had to do. The body stretched before them nearly tripled his weight, but it didn’t matter. He’d disposed of bigger. He could do it. Just as long as he didn’t look at the face. As long as he didn’t give room to that lightless image. He hooked his arms under the fat corpse’s, keeping his head up. “They better be.” The muscles around the man’s mouth screwed too tight. Too tense. Too ready to order the boy’s own death. He didn’t have to say it. Romero wasn’t...

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“Wyoming Changed Everything” by Levi Michael

Submitted to Contest #200

“Djya hear about the new girl?” he whispered over my shoulder. “Huh?” I looked up from my notebook, only slightly to keep from being noticed by Mr. Hamilton. He didn’t play around when it came to class disruptions. “Uh-uh,” I answered under my breath with an almost imperceptible shake of my head as I kept a covert eye on our teacher. “Yeah, I heard she—” We both froze as Mr. Hamilton looked up from his work and leveled his gaze in our direction. My eyes shot down to my workbook. Pure reflex. I knew better than to make eye contact. Andr...

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““Red”” by Analucy Gonzalez-Lopez

Submitted to Contest #200

Thinking back on that day, I never imagined it would end this way. *** I woke up dreading the day already. My alarm didn’t go off, the wind was beating the rain into the window glass and my coffee maker was probably cold by now. It was my day off and I had it planned since last week. I’d finally wake up early for once, start off the day at the gym then cook a healthy breakfast. Power through the ...

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“TLC For The People” by PerryTheInventor !!!

Submitted to Contest #200

Bobby stepped into the elevator. A full 150 pounds lighter. He flashed the now common toothless closed mouth smile and uttered the muffled sounds suggesting “hello.” He proudly pointed to his Commitment badge on his left lapel. It said, “I can’t talkBecauseMy Lips are Sealed!Tight Lips Corp”His odd grin, bright red TLC badge, and emaciated look were all too common. Even though the hearings were about to start. He didn’t seem to care.I planned my day around the hearings. My calendar says, “Hearings 1-3.” Many of us traders blocked our ca...

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“A Stare Away from Freedom” by Wolverine Starr

Submitted to Contest #200

Am I looking through the nightfall? I know I'd believe it. We are often inclined to test the boundaries of our freedoms, despite the ragged end it may give us. The tall corn was swaying by the extravagant carnival, a staple of beguiled beliefs. All I can see is betrayal and that there's nothing blue in hate. I will be riding through sunsets and ooze, fleeing the foggy trees, and upon the final shore I will find a brisk owl. Sitting, liquor is gone. Keep my soul in mind as I walk fallen. Early on, the sun was unquenchable and I had sympathy f...

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Write a story that includes the line “my lips are sealed.”

Submissions are closed

✍️ 96 stories

“A Man Who Couldn't Talk” by Alma Lita

“The Grocer” by Tallowood Ridge

“Self Exposed ” by Samantha Wheeler

“Painted Secrets” by Bernadette Beauchamp

“It's Not True” by Tom Graham

“Mrs O'Shea” by Liz Johnson

“The Pastor's Smashed Computer” by Mitchell Kaye

“Gossip?” by Chuck Thompson

“Downfall” by Sara Brown

“The Block Mayor” by Andrea Corwin

“The Faceless” by A Inge

“Wyoming Changed Everything” by Levi Michael

““Red”” by Analucy Gonzalez-Lopez

“TLC For The People” by PerryTheInventor !!!

“A Stare Away from Freedom” by Wolverine Starr

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about a piece of gossip that becomes more and more distorted as it passes from person to person.

Your character is known as the town gossip. One day, it comes back to bite them.

Write a story about someone trying to track down the source of a rumor.

Your main character has a secret superpower; the gossip they spread always comes true.

Contest #200

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

210

Contest entries

116

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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